Lleida

La Seu Vella, the Romanesque-Gothic old Cathedral of Lleida

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Lleida (IPA: Standard Central Catalan [ˈʎejðə] or North-Western Catalan [ˈʎejðɛ]) (Spanish: Lérida (IPA: [ˈleɾiða]) although officially referred as Lleida) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name, and has 124,709 inhabitants as of 2005. Its main industries are agriculture and tourism.

Contents

1 Languages
2 History
3 Communications
4 Culture
5 Interesting sights
6 See also
7 External links

Languages

It is a traditionally Catalan-speaking town and province, with a characteristic dialect (known as Western or, more specifically, North-Western Catalan or lleidatà) with features such as lo and los for the definite article, or final a pronounced as /ɛ/. Some of these features, however, are nowadays more common among older people and in the province rather than in the town of Lleida, where only the phonetic aspects of the dialect are preserved. Castilian Spanish, is spoken by everyone as well. Also, See the article on the province of the same name for more information on the official status of the Aranese dialect of Gascon.

History

In ancient times the city, named Iltrida and Ilerda, was the chief city of the Ilergetes, an Iberian tribe. Indíbil, king of the Ilergetes, and Mandoni, king of the Ausetanes, defended it against the Roman invasion.

Under the Romans, the city was incorporated into the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis, and was a place of considerable importance, historically as well as geographically. It stood upon an eminence, on the right (west) bank of the river Sicoris (the modern Segre), the principal tributary of the Ebro, and some distance above its confluence with the Cinga (modern Cinca); thus commanding the country between those rivers, as well as the great road from Tarraco (modern Tarragona), the provincial capital, to the northwest of Spain, which here crossed the Sicoris. (Itin. Ant. pp. 391, 452.)

Its situation (to quote Julius Caesar, "propter ipsius loci opportunitatem", B.C. i. 38) induced the legates of Pompey in Spain to make it the key of their defense against Caesar, in the first year of the Civil War (49 BCE). Afranius and Marcus Petreius threw themselves into the place with five legions; and their siege by Caesar himself, as narrated in his own words, forms one of the most interesting passages of military history. The resources exhibited by the great general, in a contest where the formation of the district and the very elements of nature seemed in league with his enemies, have been frequently extolled; but no epitome can do justice to the campaign. It ended by the capitulation of Afranius and Petreius, who were conquered as much by Caesar's generosity as by his strategy. (Caes. B.C. i. 38, et seq.; Flor. iv. 12; Appian, B.C. ii. 42; Vell. Pat. ii. 42; Suet. Caes. 34; Lucan, Pharsal. iv. 11, 144.) In consequence of the battle, the Latin phrase Ilerdam videas is said to have been used by people who wanted to cast bad luck on someone else.

Under the empire, Ilerda was a very flourishing city, and a municipium. It minted its own coins. It had a fine stone bridge over the Sicoris, on the foundations of which an existing bridge is built. In the time of Ausonius the city had fallen into decay; but it rose again into importance in the middle ages. (Strabo iii. p. 161; Horat. Epist. i. 20. 13; coins, ap. Florez, Med. ii. pp. 451, 646, iii. p. 73; Mionnet, vol. i. p. 44, Suppl. vol. i. p. 89; Sestini, pp. 161, 166; Eckhel, vol. i. p. 51.)

It was part of Visigoth and Muslim Hispania until it was conquered from the Moors by the Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona in 1148.

It used to be the seat of a major university, the oldest in the Crown of Aragon, until 1717, when it was moved by Philip V to the nearby town of Cervera. The University of Lleida is nowadays active again.

Lleida served as a key defense point for Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, and fell to the Insurgents, whose air forces bombed it extensively, in 1938. After some decades without any kind of population growth, it met a massive migration of Andalusians who helped the town undergo a relative demographic growth. Nowadays it's home to immigrants of 146 different nationalities.

Communications

Lleida is currently the eastern terminus of the Spanish state railway's AVE high-speed rail line, serving Zaragoza, Calatayud, Guadalajara, and Madrid. The line is expected to be extended to Barcelona in the next few years. Lleida has a minor airfield located in Alfès and as of 2006, the construction of an airport is due to be finished in 2008. Also, the town is the western terminus of the Eix Transversal Lleida-Girona, and a railway covering the same distance (Eix Transversal Ferroviari) is currently under consideration.

Culture

Traditional Catalan celebrations are celebrated in the town. Local festivities such as Festa Major, Aplec del Cargol or Fira de st. Miquel attract people from all over Catalonia.

A Latin-American cinema festival is held yearly in the town, and an animation film festival called Animac also takes place there every May.

Also, the international rock festival Senglar Rock is held in Les Basses d'Alpicat, in the outskirts of Lleida, each July since 2005 - it used to be held in Montblanc before that year.

Interesting sights

The Seu Vella, a Cathedral built in a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles over the time, and made a military fortress in the 18th century and the older Palau de la Suda, both over the so-called Turó de la Seu, a medium-sized hill.
The Seu Nova, the New Cathedral used since Bourbon rule. It was burnt during the Spanish Civil War by the anarchists commanded by Durruti.
Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs, used to be a hospital (Antic Hospital de Santa Maria) built in a Gothic style, but nowadays it is an historical museum and research centre open to visitors.
La Paeria, the city council and also, a historical site with remains and pieces of art from Roman times, to the Moorish rule, to Mediaeval and Modern times.
The castle of Gardeny, a fortress used by the Knights Templar in the Middle Ages.
The gardens known as Camps Elisis, already used by the Romans
The Bishop's Palace also serves as an art museum showing pieces included in the styles spanning from Romanesque to Baroque.
Other museums: Sala Cristòfol, Sala Mercat del Pla, Museu Morera, Centre d'Art de la Panera, Museu de l'Aigua.

External links

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Aitona \| Els Alamús \| Albatàrrec \| Alcanó \| Alcarràs \| Alcoletge \| Alfarràs \| Alfés \| Alguaire \| Almacelles \| Almatret \| Almenar \| Alpicat \| Artesa de Lleida \| Aspa \| Benavent de Segrià \| Corbins \| Gimenells i el Pla de la Font \| La Granja d'Escarp \| Llardecans \| Lleida \| Maials \| Massalcoreig \| Montoliu de Lleida \| La Portella \| Puigverd de Lleida \| Rosselló \| Sarroca de Lleida \| Seròs \| Soses \| Sudanell \| Sunyer \| Torre-serona \| Torrebesses \| Torrefarrera \| Torres de Segre \| Vilanova de Segrià \| Vilanova de la Barca

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